Letters to the editor for Monday, July 22, 2013

Monday

Jul 22, 2013 at 12:01 AM

It seems Ken Mattison is smart enough to realize that. It's too bad state government was not smart enough to take advantage of the opportunity to help so many people in need and save money at the same time.

I was very impressed with the new CEO of Florida Hospital Flagler, in Palm Coast. The News-Journal article in the July 14 issue showed him to be not only an experienced administrator, but a smart and compassionate businessman. He was quoted as saying that more than a million Floridians are in desperate need of health care and will be looking toward the emergency room. He expressed disappointment that Florida didn't see the wisdom of expanding the Medicaid program (with federal funds). Some of these million Floridians would have been patients at his hospital instead of charity cases paid for with tax money. It seems Ken Mattison is smart enough to realize that. It's too bad state government was not smart enough to take advantage of the opportunity to help so many people in need and save money at the same time.

MARTIN PRESS

Ormond Beach

As a keen observer, I believe that Murphy's Law (if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong) has a Florida version.

If things can be screwed up, Florida government on every level will work hard to accomplish it.

JOHN H. GOEB

DeLand

I was heartened to see that Sen. Elizabeth Warren has taken up the gauntlet to reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act. Boy, is she going to have a tough fight on her hands — against powerful lobbyists who will use the ever-effective ploy of painting this as a conservative/liberal issue. And if you buy that, you deserve to have your money stolen again!

Since the $700 billion bailout debacle, I have read everything I could get my hands on to try to understand why this happened. I believe I finally got it, but I caution you, it wasn't easy, and definitely isn't for the faint of heart. In addition to having to keep in mind the effects of the various "acts," one also must learn the financial lingo, most of which is couched in endless acronyms. For those interested, I would recommend "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis. He is able to inject some ironic humor which relieves some of the tedium.

In the end, as is usual, the devil is in the details and the root cause of this public theft isn't at all complicated. The repeal of Glass-Steagall gave the investment industry the keys to the commercial bank vaults. And now, quite understandably, the "industry" doesn't want to give back those keys.

I'm reminded of the quote by Alan Greenspan —the heretofore standard-bearer for deregulation — in the wake of the financial crisis: "I thought the markets would regulate themselves. I was wrong."

SHIRLEY CARTER

Palm Coast

Here is a different perspective on the George Zimmerman acquittal: Put yourself in his shoes. What would you do if someone was straddling you and pounding your head on concrete, as Zimmerman said Martin did? Would you defend yourself before probably being seriously hurt or killed? I don't care what color the attacker is — I would most definitely defend myself. Justice has been served in this case. Most of the people rallying against the verdict just want blood.

JOHN CRAWFORD

Oak Hill

I, for one, have had enough with the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case. For weeks, it's taken over newspapers and TV — it's all we hear about! They both have had their days in court. Justice has been served, so let's move on to other subjects. I think we should respect the privacy of both parties and pray that somehow the families can find peace within themselves.

NANCY OYER

Deltona

The separation between people in this country frightens me. Our country needs to come together to fight the things that are destroying it, not fight each other. Frankly, I am tired of people being criticized for "racial slurs" and ethnic slurs as well. If everyone who had never made a racial or ethnic slur were to be put in one place, I doubt you could fill a football stadium. Slurs include not only "N-word" jokes but Polish jokes, Jewish jokes, Catholic jokes, old people jokes, Mexican jokes — am I making you uncomfortable yet? It is not what was said in ignorance 10, 20 or 30 years ago that matters, but where your heart is now. I am proud to be an American white woman. I had nothing to do with that; God blessed me to be me. That makes me no better or no worse than anyone else. It only make me, me. I am sorry if that offends anyone but my black friends know where my heart is. Where is your heart today?

CARROLL JAYCOX

Edgewater

No sane person wants to take guns away from people that respect our gun laws. But we need to get the guns out of the hands of the bad people. My idea is to make 2014 the year of the gun.

Starting Jan. 1, every sworn law enforcement officer — city, county, state and federal — would be able to stop any person in a public space and ask them if they have a gun on them. If they said no, the officer would ask them if they can scan them with a metal detector. If they refuse, they go to a police station for further investigation. If they say yes, they have a gun and a permit — the officer would check them out, thank them and let them go.

This would include cars, bikes, motorcycles, buses, trains, subways or any other public transportation. Yes, this would put a slight inconvenience to most of the people who obey the law, but it would put the bad people on notice they can be stopped anytime, anywhere they are in a public place.

This stop would be for guns only, not seat belts, drugs or anything else. I'm sure law enforcement officers pretty well know who has illegal guns and who doesn't. These stops would be handled with respect and handled as quickly as possible.

I wonder how many guns would be picked up in a year?

LEON M. BLYTHE

Edgewater

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